Sorry for the long wait. But 'Durga' has reached 456 reads and 125 votes!!! This may not be really great but I am on seventh heaven. Thanks a lot for all the silent readers and my friends for voting.
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
Am I really a curse which Indrajeet spoke about?
For next fifteen minutes, which seemed like many hours, Durga walked in the room. She was fidgeting with her dupatta so much that you may feel either her phalanges would break away or her dupatta would have torn. As each and every second passed her heart pumped even faster. Each and every minute, she looked at the door waiting for Rudra to enter into the room.
By Devi Shakti, I never felt my heart beating so fast. It feels as if it will explode any moment. I haven't waited for anyone this eagerly. Not even for Appa to come from College. Why is this happening with me? Devi Shakti, what have I done to meet with this fate?
Her conscience decided to speak. Durga don't you think it is too much.
What is too much?
The way you are speaking.
Do you really think so?
Yes of course. You have become a daughter-in-law from the daily soaps who have been tormented by evil mother-in-law.
Is it that bad?
Yep it is.
Durga sighed loudly. The door opened and Durga cried out loudly, " I am sorry Sir. Please don't fire me. Please Sir. Please don't fire me."
Rudra looked at her, astonished. "What are you saying Durga? Why would I remove you from the job? You are blessing in disguise."
Blessing in disguise? Me?
I think your name is Durga.
Yes it is.
Then he said YOU are blessing in disguise.
How is that possible?
Don't ask me. Ask him.
Rudra looked into her black orbs. They seemed to be asking the question. Rudra smiled and said, " Mr. Arvind decided to teach you a lesson by calling Mr. Shirish."
" Mr. Shirish?"
" Yes Mr. Shirish. Tourism minister of Karnataka."
Durga gasped. Without waiting for her reply he continued, " Arvind told that we are helping Andhra Pradesh to prosper. I don't understand that it is our country. Why should we think of our state and your state? Who will explain these politicians? Shirish wants to know the answer if we are true Kannadiga or not." and took a pause.
" And what did you tell them Sir?"
" I played a trick." said Rudra with a broad grin.
" And what was the trick?" asked Durga, amused.
" I told them that it was entirely their fault. We have been calling them from past one year. They don't adhere to our requests. Forget the financial support. From past two months they weren't picking our phone calls. It is so irritating. Then your guts helped us. Shirish called up himself! Not even his PA called us! The minister called up! Can you imagine! It must have hurt his ego badly."
Durga nodded with a weak smile. " So what happened then?"
" They want to test our skills."
" Test? Like the way you tested my knowledge?"
" You can say so. They have called us at Kudremukh."
" Kudremukh? Why?"
" Kudremukh in Chikkamaguluru district. They will be testing our archaeological skills. He refused to share further information. He told us to meet as early as possible."
" He will be at Chikkamaguluru district?" asked Durga, thinking how is it possible for a minister to come at that place only to satisfy his ego.
" He is MLA from one of the constituency which falls in Chikkamaguluru district."
" Oh! I see. So now what Sir?"
" Now we are waiting for Ramaiah."
" Ramaiah? I am sorry Sir but I don't know any of my colleagues." said Durga, hinting sad tone in her voice.
" You don't know Ramaiah? Wait let me describe. He is presumed to be in mid thirties." and Durga arched her eyebrow. Rudra dropped his voice lower, " Don't ask him his age. He will be too shy to tell his age."
Durga giggled. " I will remember this definitely."
" He was in Mysore University."
" Mysore University! Did he knew Appa?" squealed Durga loudly.
Rudra slightly inserted his right index finger into his right ear and shook it vigorously.
Devi Shakti he is really showing off his acting skills... stupid.
" Shiva Shiva! You screamed so loudly. My ears are gone."
Durga knitted her eyebrows and slapped his palm.
Stupid!
Ramaiah opened the door and entered the room with three tickets in his hand. Rudra introduced Ramaiah to Durga.
" Durga, meet my bestie Ramaiah." said Rudra.
Rudra was staring at Durga when he heard a faint whisper, " Ahem! Bestie? From when have I become your bestie, Rudra SIR?" asked Ramaiah stressing on the word 'sir'.
" Thank your lucky stars Ramaiah that somebody called you bestie, with your grey hair all dyed black, I don't think anyone will call you bestie."
Ramaiah fumed at him. Stupid!
Durga watched them whispering. She was curious to know what they were speaking about.
Stop it Durga. Your curiosity has lead you to many troubles.
Ramaiah said, " I have booked three tickets for Kudremukh, in the name of Rudra Shetty, Durga Rao and Ramaiah." as he held the tickets and read it out.
" We are going out for two days and one night. At what time have you booked the tickets?"
" Ayyo! I haven't booked the return tickets." said Ramaiah.
" Stupid! Go and book the tickets now."
Durga and Ramaiah looked at him with wide eyes. Both had same question arising in their minds.
Can he read minds?
Rudra noticed that Durga and Ramaiah were looking at him with wide eyes. He felt very uncomfortable with their gaze. He didn't understand the reason.
Rudra said, " Ramaiah go."
As if coming out of daydreaming world, Ramaiah rushed out of the room. Rudra cursed under his breath, " Stupid! Never does the work properly."
Durga heaved a sigh of relief and looked a bit relaxed. Maybe he uses the word 'stupid' to chide others... like I do... but I wonder can he read minds?
" Why are you looking confused Durga? Any problem?"
How does he know that I was wondering?
Maybe your face told him.
Is it that obvious?
Why are you asking me? Ask him.
Rudra looked at her silently.
Why is she taking so long to speak?
Maybe she is zoned out.
Zoned out... but in whose thoughts is she lost?
Could it be Indrajeet?
Indrajeet! Is that stupid worthy of thinking?
Ah! Someone is jealous.
I am not jealous.
Whatever.
Ya ya whatever.
Durga spoke up. " Sir, can you read minds?"
" What made you think that?" Rudra asked, with a hint of amusement.
" No I never thought that... I am very curious, so I asked about it."
" Huh? Does curiosity have any relation with reading mind?"
Durga mentally chided herself. No... They are not related. Stupid Durga! You have messed up everything.
Very tactfully, she changed the subject. " You haven't answered my question."
Rudra, surprisingly, answered, " I can't read minds."
With a mischievous grin, Rudra said, "But someone else can."
Durga eye's widen. "Who?"
" Saptarishis and Saptarishi Uttaridhikharis."
" Saptarishis?"
" They can read our minds."
Durga looked with fascination. Thousands of questions were running in her mind. But she managed to ask only one word, " How?"
" With our pupils."
Durga looked at him with irritation. Rudra smiled.
She looks so cute.
Oh! Really?
Yes.
Answer her. Otherwise her cuteness may vanish.
Rudra spoke. " As we are thinking, thousands of thoughts are formed. As these thoughts are formed, there is a continuous movements in our pupils. Saptarishis and Saptarishi Uttaridhikharis would read this movements. With years of practice, of course."
Durga blinked her eyes unbelievably. "Are you telling the truth?"
" Yes Durga I am telling the truth." with a childish grin, he said, " But you read my pupils if you want."
Durga smiled. Ramaiah came with another three tickets.
" Rudra Sir, I booked the tickets for day after tomorrow."
" Good. Timings?"
" The bus will leave at 8:30 a.m."
Handing over two tickets to Durga, Rudra nodded at Ramaiah.
Durga asked him, " Will our work finish in two days?"
Rudra sighed. " Durga you ask too many questions. We have work till minister is there. After that we will also leave."
Durga looked at him. She wanted to believe him but she found it hard to believe him. Durga gave a weak smile and left the office. Rudra retired to his room. Ramaiah went with him into his room. Ramaiah collected his tickets.
Ramaiah decided to ask a question, "Sir, why is Durga given special privileges like, leaving before the time, not much of workload?"
" Ramaiah, I can't tell you much. But this is suffice for you to know that she has gone through a lot. At a very young age."
Ramaiah nodded and left the room. Rudra recalled the conversation which he had after Arvind left and Shirish had called.
" Hello." said Rudra.
" Hello. Sir it's me." said a voice on the other end of land line.
" I am sorry but I don't who you are."
There was a pause on the other end. A low voice was heard, " I am the detective you have hired."
" Ah yes! So what news have you got?"
" Indrajeet is coming to Mysore. Tomorrow."
" What? He knows that Durga is here?"
" I have no idea. But he was angry. Very angry."
" Is Durga in Mysore?"
" Yes she is."
" Take her to safe place."
Rudra was silent.
" Believe me. It's not time to show your strength. Use your brain. Durga has gone through a lot. If she sees Indrajeet, what will happen? Have you ever given a thought?"
The call ended. Rudra gave detective's words a thought. In matter of minutes he had decided what he had to do.
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
Kudremukh : A tourist spot in Karnataka. Kudre and mukh means horse and mouth respectively. It literally means horse's mouth. It maybe due to the hill which appears like horse's mouth. It is a place of archaeological importance.
Saptarishi : A group of seven sages (Sapt = Seven, Rishi = Sage)
Saptarishi Uttaridhikaris : The disciples of Saptarishi who carried forward their teachings.
The reference to eye reading fact has been taken from 'The Oath Of The Vayuputras' by Amish.
Thank you for reading.